Just Keep Going

From time to time, everybody feels sorry for themselves.  Sometimes it's for a big reason, like the loss of a job or being sick or hurt.  Sometimes it's for something much less significant, like your football team losing the Super Bowl in the final seconds.

Honestly, I'm already over it.  I still love the Seahawks and can't wait to see what they do next year.  Moving on.

This weekend I came across an article about a little boy who could feel sorry for himself every single day, with good reason.  But he doesn't.  As a matter of fact, his attitude is just the opposite.  "What I do is, I'm thankful for my setbacks, and those have become my blessings. I'm not afraid of anything," says twelve year old Hamoody Smith.

Given what he's been through and survived, it's easy to see why fear has lost its power over him.  When Hamoody was two years old, his Shiite family was ambushed in a Sunni neighborhood in Baghdad.  Several family members were killed, and Hamoody was shot in the face.  He lost one eye and was blinded in the other.

With the help of his uncle, he was sent to the United States where he was adopted by a local family.  He has already had twenty operations and more are probably in his future.  Despite the best efforts of doctors, they were unable to restore his sight.

But Hamoody doesn't let any of that get him down.  He's smart and intuitive. He has no doubt about his abilities and isn't self-conscious about his appearance. He refuses to acknowledge his limitations.  "You just keep going.  That's my mindset.  Just keep going."

What a remarkable young man.  I have a feeling that we will hear great things about him in the future.  But for now, when I start to feel sorry for myself, I will think of Hamoody Smith.  And just keep going.